HOUSTON, TEXAS -- I had my transmission rebuilt by Mr. Transmission on 10/19/10 and specifically asked the owner Ron to replace the 'rear seal.' For anyone who knows anything about preventative maintenance this is a no-brainer. Once you've spent the $600+ dollars in dropping a transmission you might as well do the additional labor to take the flywheel off and replace the $5 seal.

My Honda Accord 1998 had just over 170,000 miles on it. It would've been ludicrous for me to spend the over $2000.00 I spent on this job and not have it replaced. I joked with Ron that he may as well put 2 seals because they were so cheap. Four months went by and lo and behold the car started leaking oil. When I took it back to them they correctly diagnosed that yes, my rear seal was leaking as was my oil pan and distributor. When I asked them how the rear seal had gone bad in so short a time they researched my ticket and no sign of the replacement could be found.

I don't usually take time to write negative reviews of companies except when they are flat out crooked. Ron offered to pay half of the labor on the repair and pay for the seal, due to their oversight. Conveniently he quoted me the 7.9 labor hours that represents the retail mechanic rate. I know the real rate is 5.5 so I brought him another quote from AAMCO who offered to change it out for $400.00. I told him I'd split that with him and not go public. I told him I knew it would cost me to get out of this mess regardless but maybe he could save himself some bad publicity.

He refused and I went and paid AAMCO $400.00. It was more, but it's worth not leaving the car in the hands of someone who's dishonest. Who knows what else they may have jimmied up that would've ended up costing me more. Avoid this place like the plague. They are not honest and at the end of the day, if anything goes wrong they avoid accepting responsibility. When I told him this was nothing personal and that I stood for principle, he said he stood for 'paying the bills.' Classic… like the cars he likes.

Was this review helpful?YesNo

Replies

Review Link:

Horrible Experience

By mchast - 01/09/2009

ST. CATHARINES ON -- DO NOT take your vehicle to Mister Transmission! Took my Honda Civic to Mister Transmission to have my transmission replaced because my transmission was done - car wouldn't even drive. A used transmission was installed. Went to pick up my car, the owner told me "it runs perfect". I didn't even make it to the corner and the gears weren't shifting properly, engine was revving. I took it back and he tells me that this is "normal". Knowing that this can't be "normal" as I've driven a Honda Civic for 5 yrs I convinced him to take another look at it.

After a couple days he called me back to say that he'll be installing another transmission because the one in my car was no good. (Surprise, surprise!) He calls me a couple days after that and says he received another transmission but it's also no good therefore he was returning transmission #2 and getting another one. Finally (after 2 weeks of my car being in the shop) he calls me to say transmission (#3) is installed. I went to pick up my car and first thing he says to me is "you owe me $10 for gas because I had to put gas in your car". No hello, how are you, nothing.

I gave him the $10 and said "I hope I don't have to come back here again, I hope everything is good with my car." He (the owner) says "if you have any problems you can call head office and complain to them. Don't come back here again" and then rambles on about how the shop lost money and that he did me a favour by not charging me again for the oil.

All the while I'm thinking to myself, that's not my problem. Had you have done the job right the first 2 times we wouldn't be in this situation. BUT WHO SAYS THAT TO A CUSTOMER!? Don't come back here?? Or what? Unbelievable… So as soon as I got home I called head office and filed a complaint about the service and treatment. I would never recommend anyone to Mister Transmission and this won't be the last review I write.

Company Response 07/23/2010:

I would just like to let everyone who has been mistreat in anyway by Mister Transmission in St. Catharines to know that man know longer owns the shop in St. Catharines. I am the new owner and would like to say I am sorry that you where treated that way.

I can promise you that you will be treated with respect and the job will be done right the right way the first time.

Was this review helpful?YesNo

Replies

Review Link:

This Is the Most Unbelievable Experience I've Ever Had With Any Business

By janetellis48218 - 12/14/2014

Rating: 1/51

SPRING, TEXAS -- I have had my car at Mr. Transmission since November 25th. Today is now day 20 they have had my car. And it's still not fixed! The manager ripped off the crooks that run this so called transmission repair shop. What a joke! I paid 3000.00 to get my cars transmission repaired. Charged it to my M/C. I have had to cancel my card and get a new card since the manager/crook had all my card information. I have disputed the charges as directed by M/C. Now their demanding 3000.00 cash to get my car back while they try to get the money back from the crooked manager that skipped town? M/C tells me "DO NOT give them cash as they have already been paid."

Bottom line, they still have my car, still isn't fixed and will not give me my car that will have to go to a real transmission specialist unless I give them 3000.00 cash. I now have to take them to court. Beware of any of the Mr. Transmission locations as they all have negative reviews and horror stories like mine.

Company Response 05/14/2015:

sir I just took over this company please give me the opportunity to make it ritgh

HOUSTON, TEXAS -- Scam! They advertised prepay $1,385 for rebuild Transmission. The worst case scenario on Google search internet transmission repair, which turned out to be Mr. Transmission on Jones Road Houston TX not listed on internet as such. The owner Steven **, called the next day for another $1200 dollars and if not paid, he will put a lien on car although I request him to stop any further work on car when he asked for the extra money.

Now the vehicle is being held for ransom. Steven ** manager refuses to release the vehicle although he is unable to finish the job as advertised. Also the next day after I told Steven, no more money will be paid to him. My credit card company stopped fraudulent charges and notified me.

Was this review helpful?YesNo

Replies

Review Link:

Never Stands Up to Their Warranty Policy

By Sophiez - 12/17/2010

HOUSTON, TEXAS, TEXAS -- A little over one year ago, my transmission light kept coming on while I would be driving my 1992 Isuzu Trooper, so I would turn the truck off for a few seconds, then turn it back on then it would be fine. On 1/23/10 I took my truck to Mr. Transmission (off Shepherd on Larkin st). After diagnosing it he stated that our transmission was bad and needed to be rebuilt, I had the same problem over and over.

My truck has been in and out of that shop with the same initial problem. He gave us a 2 year warranty. And they have been keeping it for at least one week at a time. He stated that they were running errands in it, to test drive it. And give us our truck back on an empty tank. And when I realized that we were going to have a situation here. I did let him know that I was getting very concerned about all the things they are doing to my truck, such as fixing things that did not need to be fixed.

So on 10/19/2010 I asked ** (the manager on duty) since he has a file on my truck if he could please give me something stating all the repairs they were doing to my truck, since they are not fixing the real problem. He refused, he stated that he could only give me the repair done on that week (10-19-2010). So he gave me a print out. Then he stated that it was the speed sensor and it would cost approx. 300.00.

So the whole time it was never the transmission. And he refused to continue fixing our truck. He stated that he was tired of see our truck in his shop. And I have not even seen any receipts on any purchases he claimed to have spent on repairs that were not needed. So now I am out of money and my truck will not even pass inspection due to this problem (speed sensor shuts down the transmission). My truck is still under warranty and they don't want to stand up to the agreement. We asked for our money back so that we can take it somewhere else. He refused to give us our money back.

Was this review helpful?YesNo

Replies

Review Link:

Please Beware!

By big will1 - 11/21/2010

HOUSTON, TEXAS -- I checked out Mr. Transmission at the Jones Rd location in Houston out with the BBB and they were a member with a good rating so I called and spoke with the owner. I told him what the problem was I was having and he told me he would pick it up and check it out because it sounded minor. He then said at the most it would cost me if it needed rebuilding would be $1794 and he would not charged a dime before he called to let me know what it would be.

The next day I get a call from an ** and he gave me a quote of $2800. I told him "no, thanks" and "I would pick it up" and he then said it would be $500. to pick it up because he tore it apart. I never authorize him to do that. I then asked to speak with the owner who I spoke to 1st and he was not in. I got a call the next day and ** said he would do it for $2000 cash with a 2yr warranty.

I called to get directions and they took my SUV to another location that was owned by ** also but was not a member of the BBB. I get there and they changed the warranty to 1yr and told me that if I did not accept it they would put my SUV in storage at my expense. I never signed or authorize them to take my SUV to this location or work on it in the 1st place. I paid the $2000 and wrote a bad review and filed a complaint with the BBB.

The day they received my complaint I became a victim of a hit and run in front of my house between 2am and 4am on a Tuesday morning. I live on a short dead end street with little traffic at any time. Also in the 15 yr history of my street there has never been a crime. This was not a coincidence, what are the chances of these events happening on the same day and out of ten cars that were parked there mine was struck. Avoid these crooks at all cost!

Was this review helpful?YesNo

Replies

Review Link:

Unauthorized Repairs

By ShaysMad - 06/23/2010

SPRING, TEXAS -- My complaint is against the Mr. Transmission franchise located on Spring Cypress Rd. in Spring, TX. I had my vehicle towed there after talking to the manager and telling him what my car was and wasn't doing, he told me that it sounded like my car had the symptoms of a problem called neutralizing, which was an electrical problem and would cost $300 to $500 to fix, or worst case scenario $1495 to rebuild the transmission.

After running a computer analysis the manager called and told me that the problem was not electrical and they would have to open up the transmission to determine the extent of the damage. So now I'm looking at the worst case scenario price of $1495… I thought. The manager called me back and said it would be $2680 to fix the transmission, almost double the quoted worst case scenario price. I told him I didn't have that kind of money and was planning to go get the car and let it sit until I could get the money to fix it, or take it somewhere else.

Well the next day I get a call from the manager stating that my car was fixed and that I could come get it. I told him I didn't tell them to fix the car. He said that because I said I was returning the rental car he assumed that I wanted them to fix my car. I told him that I was willing to pay the worst case scenario price that he quoted me since I didn't authorize him to fix my car.

Well, my car was held hostage and I was told I would be charged storage fees in addition to the $2680. I paid them $1500, and had to leave two post dated checks for the balance, two references, and sign a promissory note before they would release my car. I felt was caught between a rock and a hard place and had no other choice but to pay the ransom.

Company Response 06/05/2015:

Sorry about what happen I just bough this shop and we have a very good customer services
My name is eduardo I have over 20 years off experience I come from Mexico and start working in this business know everything is different I invite you to come and Taste the difference in service price and quality have bless day

Was this review helpful?YesNo

Replies

Review Link:

Crooked/Thieves/Liars/Scammers/Snakes in the Grass

By ACHEVK - 04/01/2010

Located on FM 2920 and Spring Cypress. 1816 Spring Cypress Road, Spring, TX 77388-3519. The first time I took the car to them they couldn't figure out if it had a transmission issue or a exhaust issue. They said it could be shifting hard cause of either. So I left it alone. They keep calling and calling, "what are you going to do with the car?" they ask. Told them "nothing". You never told me anything was wrong with it. All you could tell me was that you don't know.

They will steal your money in a heartbeat. Worst company in the world to do business with. This is an individual franchise. They will keep your vehicle and give you a huge run around on how they don't know if they can release it. Because he's just a middle man. And he has to call the owner of the shop. Found out this guy has been with the company for a loooong time. He just acts stupid so he can buy more time which in turn costs you more money.

MANAGER IS A CROOK WITH A BIG MOUTH!! Big snake - lies right to your face then does whatever he wants anyway. Second time there, they took my vehicle to LOOK AT IT, NOT WORK ON IT!! Simply look at it and call me with information. I called the next day since I never heard from them and was told that it was already torn down and in pieces. Asked them to stop where they are. Told them they ARE NOT authorized to do anything at all to the vehicle!

The manager said he can put it all back together and it won't cost me a penny. Yesterday he tells me it's already built and that he can not release it because he needs to call the owner of the shop. HUGE MISTAKE TO DEAL WITH THEM. DO NOT DO IT!! This location are absolute CROOKED THIEVES! I have done research and found out that they own two more stores. Be careful! I don't know the exact location of the other stores, I know one is on FM 1960.

Watch out for this people! And tell all your friends! Anyone that does business like this needs to be outed to the public and everyone should tell someone they know. Lets put it this way. I have no enemies, but if I did - I would call them and tell them not to ever go there. Because even if I had a enemy I would not want them to go through what I did. And I definitely would not want the owner of this transmission shop to make another penny because of the way he runs his shady business.

Was this review helpful?YesNo

Replies

Review Link:

Stay Away

By pdglowinski - 07/06/2007

JACKSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA -- Last summer (06), the transmission on my Dakota R/T bit the dust, a band strut broke off, and the bands got abused pretty bad. Needed a rebuild, no question about that. At first I told them to pack it back up, I'm taking it somewhere else. I wasn't impressed at all with the demeanor of the 'man at the desk'. I spent some time there, and went in back to talk to the mechanics that will actually have their hands on my true love. They seemed to prove that they knew what they were doing, and didn't like the dude up front either. So, I left it there for a rebuild.

Before I left, we agreed on what was to be done. I actually told him I don't care what it costs, or how long it's in for repair, but when I get it back - I want it perfect. About a week later I pick it up, and am nice to it for about a day. Giving it a little break in period. Day two comes the real test - full throttle. I semi-regularly race the truck at the drag strip, and drive it like I stole it. I told them to build me a transmission to take the abuse. Of course with me understanding, things do break eventually if ya rag on them. No problem there, I don't live in fantasy world.

Anyway, on day two of having this rebuilt tranny, I go off to a country road to see how she performs from stop to top so-to-speak. Big problem. At wot (wide open throttle) she won't shift out of 1st. She'll just hang in gear and bounce off the msd 6400 rpm limiter. So of course, I start to get furious about this $2300 check I wrote a day earlier. How am I supposed to enjoy my truck for what I built it for, if she won't get out of 1st??

I go back, and I get a little upset at all the head scratching the guys at Mr. Transmission are doing. I belong to a very decent online group that deals specifically with the Dakota R/T. I know someone in the group will know what to do. I'm told by them that the shift kit the shop installed doesn't jive well with the truck's pcm, and I need to tear apart a wiring harness and solder in a resistor inline with the governor pressure sensor. Lucky me, they were right. Problem solved, but why the heck doesn't a transmission shop know this? Water under the bridge, and I don't go back. Truck is fixed, shifts perfectly, and am so far very happy with it.

I continue to drive it about 100 miles a week back and forth to work. This goes on for about 2500 miles. Took it to the race track twice, and still works flawlessly. I put it on a flatbed trailer when I moved back to WI, and a couple days later load it up to go to the R/T national meet in St. Louis. Halfway there, cruising down the highway I start to lose overdrive. Knowing the truck pretty well, and being associated with many people that share my passion, I'm pretty sure I know what's going on right away. I'm losing tranny fluid. I pull over at the next stop and sho-nuff. The tailgate and entire underside of my truck is doused with transmission fluid, it's bleeding all over the place.

So here I am, 200 miles from home, and 200 miles from my destination. Being I'm going to the R/T nationals, I decide it's better to be in the company of gearheads, than turn around and go home and be at the mercy of whatever scam shop I may find. I stop in Autozone, buy $100 worth of fluid, and keep dumping it in for the remainder of my trip. After all, if ya keep fluid in it faster than it leaks, keep the temperature down, the only thing it's going to hurt is the wallet by keep buying fluid.

I get down to St Louis, and find the rear seal had failed. Fixed it that day in the parking lot. Still leaked, but not nearly as bad as before. Skip a couple days and I drive it home, nice and easy 400 mile trip at 55mph, continuing to dump fluid in it all the way. Come to find out through some more research that a bushing in the overdrive case is loose and inches its way back, rubs on the seal, and causes it to fail immediately. The only cause of this is a bad overdrive case, not holding the bushing properly.

The transmissions only got about 3000 miles on it, it's sitting in my garage on jack stands, awaiting what's going to amount to about another grand in parts and labor. New od case, yoke, driveshaft balance, bushing, seal, etc. There is no Mr. Transmission in this area, and I'm not going 1300 miles back to NC to take it in. Even if there was a franchise in this area, I still would not take it back to that company. So I'm stuck. Thank you very much Mr. Transmission for using a piece of crap od housing on your rebuild job. For what it costs to do the job, I could have rode a taxi wherever I needed to go for 6 months, and broke even.

Was this review helpful?YesNo

Replies

Review Link:

Misleading Quotes, Broken Parts, Missing Parts

By Whiplash - 06/14/2007

BARRIE, ONTARIO -- I had my Dodge Ram 4x4 pickup towed into the Mister Transmission in Barrie, Ontario. I had told the front desk guy from the beginning that if it needed a complete rebuild then "it would be towed home and sit in my driveway because I can't afford it". When they dropped the pan, he exclaimed "look at all the chunks in there" to which I said "I have seen more debris during a normal service than I could see now…"

To get an estimate I authorized the removal and opening, for approx $284 for the removal (never quoted anything for the estimate). They called later and quoted me $2812 for "everything" but when I had it put in writing with taxes it came to over $3200 (very misleading). So I told them to pack up the parts in a box and I would have it towed out of there (never told about any other charges).

When I arrived my truck was in the parking lot, exhaust hanging down. The bill I was presented with was for $484.50. The manager couldn't explain why it was so much, but the wording on it was to give estimate and "put parts in a box and ready vehicle for towing." I had already been told I would have to pay it or they wouldn't release my truck.

I went out and found the internal parts piled in 2 boxes in the back and nothing else - no transmission case, no transfer case, no driveshafts etc. When I asked about them the manager Paul and the technician wheeled parts out and loaded them into the truck. I even had to ask them to put the exhaust back up so it would stay attached. Some preparation!

Over the phone I was quoted $1900 by ACME Transmission in Toronto so I had it taken there on a Wednesday. First they inventoried the internal parts and found one spring broken and another missing a roller (not normally replaced in a rebuild) because of the way the parts were piled on each other - that was an additional $135. Then after they started putting the truck back together on Friday they were missing a few key parts - the 4x4 gearshifter and the transmission mount. My husband called them and told them they had until noon to deliver them to my work, they arrived in person at 12:16!

But not 10 minutes later ACME called back - the driveshaft that was sent with my truck didn't fit, it was the WRONG ONE! So I called and spoke to the manager who said that "they had 3 Dodge's apart here this week". What the??? Before I knew it he drove to Toronto with 2 driveshafts because he didn't know which one in their shop was the right one! About 4pm I received a call from the guy who dropped off the mount earlier, it was the WRONG ONE also. So he came back to my work and exchanged it for the right one (I hoped).

ACME couldn't finish putting the truck back together until I brought them the other parts on Monday (by cab and then by bus) and I had to take the day off work. When they got to the final few details they were MISSING MORE PARTS - the filler tube and the crossmember for my skid plate - so the manager had to make a 2nd trip to Toronto. He had the nerve to ask if there was anything other parts they might be missing!

I went by the Corporate Headquarters in Richmond Hill but they refuse to let me in without an appointment. The management "are not technicians and they won't know what the parts are for", but surely they could see that they were broken? "Take a picture". They also do not allow disgruntled customers to come in, you have to call their Customer Service.

So I did (from their parking lot) and they said to write it all down and sent it to them while they start an investigation. They told me perhaps I should let the local manager know. I said "I think the fact that he is on his 2nd trip to Toronto with missing parts he already knows there is a problem!" So it has been almost a month and I have heard nothing back. I was still willing to pay the $270 for the removal, but after the extra costs they now owe me $454.04... And the tranny works perfectly, thanks to Andy @ ACME!